From a sermon series on 1 Kings by See Huang Lim, a missionary at IBF.
Intro
Just 2 months ago, there was a nation-wide alarm when North Korea fired its missile across Hokkaido. Everyone wondered what Kim Jong-Un is thinking. Would he truly be willing to engage in war?
More recently, people in Japan were preoccupied with the national elections. It is not just Japan, but all over the world, people worry about who will take control of their country. Or they wonder how long a bad situation will last in their country. For Christians, it’s natural to wonder: Is God going to make things better in our country?
Today, we continue studying the book of 1 Kings. From today’s chapter, I believe we may find some encouragement concerning national problems and world problems.
From 1 Kings chapter 11, we learn about two things: First, God is sovereign and in control over history. Second, there is hope in the midst of judgment.
[Read 1 Kings 11:14-43]God’s Sovereignty Over the Course of Human History
In summary, 1 Kings 11 tells us about the enemies of King Solomon. These enemies had their own reasons to oppose Solomon. But the writer of 1 Kings 11 makes it clear that, ultimately, it is God who caused these enemies to rise up against Solomon. In other words, God was orchestrating the events of history.
Likewise, it’s possible for us to say that God orchestrates the rise and fall of leaders in this world. We do not know exactly how much God does or how much God actively shapes world history. But we know that what happens can only happen with God’s permission.
We often can’t understand why certain things happen. For example, why God allows certain corrupt or unjust leaders to remain in power.
But we know that God has plans we do not fully understand. And we know that He is a good God.
So, how should we respond to the bad news we see on TV or read on the Internet?
First, let’s see what Jesus says in Matthew 24:6. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” In other words, Jesus is saying: do not worry. Instead of being alarmed, acknowledge that none of this bad news is a surprise to God. He knows the future.
Second, let’s be ready to help people rather than to blame. While it’s true that God is in control of everything, that doesn’t mean we should be quick to point fingers and say things like, “The tsunami happened because God is punishing this country.” Or “terrorism happened because God is judging this country.” No, I don’t think that’s the lesson of 1 Kings chapter 11.
Instead of saying these unhelpful things, which we can’t even prove, we should do what the Bible has stated clearly. For example, how about praying for the country that is suffering?
In the Bible study group that meets in my house, we have a few South Korean members. One or two months ago, we were sharing prayer requests. I was inspired by Eun Jin, our South Korean friend, when she not only shared her personal needs but also asked us to pray for North Korea. Indeed, rather than just saying bad things about North Korea, why don’t we pray for them? There are many hidden Christians in North Korea; let’s pray alongside them for God’s mercy on the country.
The Apostle Paul has written about what kind of attitude we should have towards our country. Let’s look at what he said in 1 Timothy chapter 2. Verses 1 to 3 say this: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” He continues in verses 3-4, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Some of us already pray for the country but wonder whether our prayers have any effect. Paul and other writers of the Bible believed that we should pray for people. Prayer is a way we work together with God. Prayer could change people’s lives or even a country. Think of Abraham or Moses in the Old Testament who persuaded God not to destroy those who deserved it. Furthermore, prayer can change us. It keeps us sensitive to needs of others.
We do not know if God will answer all our prayers. But we know that He is in control.
And that His ultimate plan for humankind is to live in peace and love together with Him. We do not know how many years more it will be. But God has already shown us the fate of this world. Let’s turn briefly to Revelation chapter 21, which is at the end of our Bibles.
Revelation 21 verses 1 to 4 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself with be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
So let’s take hope. The suffering of this world, and the suffering in our own lives, will not go on forever.
A Ray of Hope in the Midst of Judgment
Let’s return to Solomon and 1 Kings 11. Why did God raise enemies against Solomon?
The answer is in verse 33. “I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molech the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in my ways, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my statutes and laws as David, Solomon’s father did.”
But in the midst of God’s judgment against Solomon, there is hope and mercy. Look at verse 39. “I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.” God was punishing and disciplining the nation, but not abandoning it.
Solomon’s story is not a new one. We see it repeated in the Old Testament.
The earliest example is with Adam and Eve at the beginning of the world. Adam and Eve break God’s commandment in the Garden of Eden by eating the forbidden fruit. God judges them by sending them out of the Garden and letting them experience the effects of sin and evil. They now had to work and toil to produce food for themselves. They would quarrel and know sadness. They could now experience pain, sickness, and death.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. At the same time that God delivered his sentence to Adam and Eve, he promised a reversal of events in a future. In Genesis 3:15, God said that one of Adam and Eve’s descendants would bring victory over evil.
God also did not abandon Adam and Eve in the world. Genesis 3:21 says that before God sent them out of the Garden, he made them clothes out of animal skin. Bible scholars comment that this foreshadows the ritual of animal sacrifice to atone for human sins. And it foreshadows the coming of Jesus, whose sacrifice covers our sins and brings new life.
Again, this is a picture of judgement accompanied by hope and mercy. Let me give one more picture.
Jeremiah 29:11 is a popular verse among Christians. It records God saying to the people of Judah, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
God spoke these words in the midst of Judah’s suffering. Through God’s judgment, Judah was conquered by a foreign nation, and for 70 years, they would live as exiles in a foreign land. Yet the God who judges also gives hope. He offers renewal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, that is the core message of the Bible. If you were to summarize this thick book, that’s the summary.
Even the best of humans, such as wise King Solomon, will sin. Because of sin, our relationship with God is broken and we are under judgment. But God also provides renewal.
When Christmas comes, we commemorate how God came to Earth in the form of a man called Jesus. Jesus is the person who sacrificed himself to suffer our final punishment. He restores our relationship with God and brings renewal into our lives.